by Jon Hetman, Director of External Relations & Communications

Field collecting in northern Idaho

To populate the Living Collections with plants sourced from the wild (a key attribute for research and conservation value), the Arnold Arboretum participates in collecting trips both domestically and internationally. Gathered from state parks, national forests, and occasionally under agreement on private lands, collected seeds are sent back to the Arboretum to be propagated and tested for hardiness. New plants grow in our Dana Greenhouses and nurseries until they are large enough and strong enough to be planted on the grounds.

The Arnold Arboretum’s manager of plant records, Kyle Port, is currently on expedition in northern Idaho, seeking species for the Arboretum as one of two inaugural trip in the Arboretum’s Campaign for the Living Collections. Fall is an excellent time for seed collecting–in fact, we often collect seeds from our own collections in fall to re-propagate plants in decline due to the rigors of age, pests and disease, or the elements. However, due to the extensive forest fires that are damaging and closing off certain areas of Idaho’s forests, Kyle and his fellow collectors have had to remain flexible with their itinerary.

Kyle reported on August 25:

“Our Northern Idaho Expedition began at Farragut State Park on Lake Pend Oreille today (8/24). Lake Pend Oreille is the largest lake in Idaho with a marvelous glacial history. As we harvested snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) fruits, a breeze coaxed stubborn wildfire smoke from the southernmost point of Lake Pend Oreille, Button Hook Bay.”

With good planning, good field botany, and good luck, Kyle and his companions will be able to read the landscape to find important species for the Arboretum’s collections. Some of the other plants Kyle has gathered on this trip include: